Global daily sea surface salinity data is provided at a 1-degree spatial resolution, derived from the Aquarius/SAC-D satellite mission. The dataset is produced by NASA and the Argentinian Space Agency (CONAE) from measurements taken by three radiometers and a scatterometer. This version 5.0 data was last updated in June 2015.
Use Cases
- Analyzing daily global sea surface salinity patterns from the 1-degree gridded data.
- Modeling ocean circulation and freshwater fluxes using the rain-flagged salinity product.
- Validating oceanographic models by comparing against the satellite-derived brightness temperature and backscatter measurements.
- Studying the impact of rainfall on sea surface salinity using the rain-flagged feature.
Strengths
- Global spatial coverage with a 370 km cross-track swath from the satellite instrument.
- Provides data at daily, 7-day, monthly, and seasonal temporal scales.
- Salinity derived from three radiometer beams at 29, 38, and 46-degree incidence angles.
Limitations
- Data freshness is limited, with the last update recorded in 2015.
- Spatial resolution of 1 degree may be coarse for regional or coastal studies.
- Specific row counts, file sizes, and license information are unavailable.
Provenance
- Source
- NASA and Comision Nacional de Actividades Espaciales (CONAE) via the Aquarius/SAC-D satellite.
- Collection Method
- Satellite remote sensing using three L-band radiometers and a scatterometer operating at 1.26 GHz.
- Time Range
- null
- Freshness
- null
- Geography
- Global ocean coverage.